Koichi Tanaka

Quick Facts: Who was Koichi Tanaka?

Subject:

Koichi Tanaka

Known for:

Pioneering electrical engineer known for soft laser desorption and advanced blood diagnostics.

Born:

1959-08-03

Century / Era:

1959s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Koichi Tanaka (田中 耕一, Tanaka Kōichi; born August 3, 1959) is a Japanese electrical engineer who shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002 for developing a novel method for mass spectrometric analyses of biological macromolecules with John Bennett Fenn and Kurt Wüthrich (the latter for work in NMR spectroscopy). Tanaka was born and raised in Toyama, Japan, his biological mother died one month after he was born. Tanaka graduated from Tohoku University with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1983, afterward he joined Shimadzu Corporation, where he engaged in the development of mass spectrometers. For mass spectrometry analyses of a macromolecule, such as a protein, the analyte must be ionized and vaporized by laser irradiation. The problem is that the direct irradiation of an intense laser pulse on a macromolecule causes cleavage of the analyte into tiny fragments and the loss of its structure.

Career & Major Achievements

In February 1985, Tanaka found that by using a mixture of ultra fine metal powder in glycerol as a matrix, an analyte can be ionized without losing its structure. His work was filed as a patent application in 1985, and after the patent application was made public reported at the Annual Conference of the Mass Spectrometry Society of Japan held in Kyoto, in May 1987 and became known as soft laser desorption (SLD). The obscure Tanaka had been at the second-lowest rank at Shimadzu when he won the Nobel Prize. The embarrassed company immediately promoted Tanaka to research fellow, and named a laboratory after him. However, there was some criticism about his winning the prize, saying that contribution by two German scientists, Franz Hillenkamp and Michael Karas was also big enough not to be dismissed, and therefore they should also be included as prize winners.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

This is because they first reported in 1985 a method, with higher sensitivity using a small organic compound as a matrix, that they named matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). Also Tanaka's SLD is not used currently for biomolecules analysis, meanwhile MALDI is widely used in mass spectrometry research laboratories. But while MALDI was developed prior to SLD, it was not used to ionize proteins until after Tanaka's report. Tanaka Team have developed a diagnostic technology that enables early detection of diseases from a small amount of blood. By artificially modifying antibodies with polyethylene glycol at their base, the arms can move like springs, allowing simultaneous binding to antigens.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1959 (1959-08-03): Birth of Koichi Tanaka — Pioneering electrical engineer known for soft laser desorption and advanced blood diagnostics.
2. 1983: 1983 Milestone — Tanaka graduated from Tohoku University with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1983, afterward he joined Shimadzu Corporation, where he engaged in the development of mass spectrometers.
3. 1985: 1985 Milestone — In February 1985, Tanaka found that by using a mixture of ultra fine metal powder in glycerol as a matrix, an analyte can be ionized without losing its structure.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Koichi Tanaka

True or False: “The initial method developed by Tanaka, Soft Laser Desorption (SLD), is currently the most widely used technique for biomolecule analysis.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While SLD was groundbreaking, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) is currently the more widely utilized method in mass spectrometry research laboratories.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abraham Flexner — Contemporary (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
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• Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — Shared historical date (08-03 · Died) (2008): Dissident author who exposed Soviet repression, notably the Gulag system.
• Alexander Mair — Shared historical date (08-03 · Died) (1969): Australian politician who served as Premier of New South Wales (1939-1941).
• Ahn Suk-hwan — Historical peer (Born in 1959) (1959): Acclaimed South Korean actor known for versatile roles in theater, film, and television.
• Albert Namatjira — Historical peer (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering Arrernte painter, famous for Western-influenced watercolour depictions of the Australian outback.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Adolph Green — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): American lyricist and playwright known for his long-running, witty partnership with Betty Comden.
• Ahmed Rushdi — Historical peer (Died in 1983) (1983): A legendary Pakistani playback singer, known as the 'Magician of Voice'.
• 1959 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1959
• August 3 (08-03) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 3

Frequently Asked Questions about Koichi Tanaka